It was to the cheers of the crowd that the sailors of Sodebo Ultim 3 returned to dry land on Sunday noon.
On the pontoon in Brest, while the sun has chased away a last squall, they are there, savoring the infinite happiness of 7 sailors who have just completed the circumnavigation of the world in 40 days, 10 hours and 45 minutes. It is they, Titouan Lamazou and Olivier de Kersauson, who notably with Florence Arthaud, created the Jules Verne trophy in 1992. Lovers of sailing and freedom, these legendary sailors imagined a trip around the world like Phileas Fogg, in 80 days.
Thomas Coville, Frédéric Denis, Pierre Leboucher, Léonard Legrand, Guillaume Pirouelle, Benjamin Schwartz and Nicolas Troussel did much better, flirting with the insane 40-day bar. “We finally managed to achieve the goal we had dreamed of for so many years. This is the first time that a flying boat has circumnavigated the planet non-stop, to be able to do that in 40 days is completely maddening,” said Thomas Coville, who completed his 10th circumnavigation.
When at lunchtime, Sodebo Ultim 3 docks at the port of Brest, the emotion is palpable. Because offshore racing has a little something extra, an ability to move the crowd, who come to witness the return of heroic sailors who have braved storms and hostile oceans. With drawn features, but a radiant face, Thomas Coville sheds tears while hugging Cathy, his wife, Jane and Éliott Coville, his children.
Nicolas Troussel kisses his family. Joseph Bougro also came on board, with his wife, Simone. “It’s the greatest happiness we could have,” smiles the man who in the early 1970s created the company Sodebo, today run by his three daughters, including Patricia Brochard, who also manages the sailing program. It was also he who in 1997 had a crush on Thomas Coville, to the point of creating an association, which continues.
“As they passed Cape Horn, they knew”
To understand this extraordinary adventure, you have to turn towards the quay which overlooks the pontoon and watch these dozens of employees of the Vendée company, who have come to witness the outcome. “The sailors demonstrate what is important to us on a daily basis in our company,” notes Patricia Brochard. They moved forward together, they grew together, like our employees, who are very mobilized and committed to helping Sodebo grow. »
“A project like that is the project of a lifetime,” says Coville. We spend years and years, stone after stone, failure after failure, construction after construction, to arrive at a Grail, a quest. When in addition, we manage to build this collectively, with people who came on the boat for reasons different from yours, but who, through otherness, agree to go to the same place, at the same time, with the same desire, the same desire, philosophically speaking, it’s fantastic. We only experience this very rarely in our lives. »
Léonard Legrand still has red eyes. “We had an extraordinary 40 days, I still find it hard to believe it,” explains the man who, like five of his teammates, is completing his first round-the-world trip. We’ve really been shaken up these last two days (Editor’s note: due to storm Ingrid), I shed a tear when I saw the technical teams again. Everyone coming together makes this day exceptional! »
“We always ask young people to have experience to take them somewhere,” continues Coville. But if we don’t take them, they can never gain the experience. But I was convinced, I knew before them, that these six boys had the potential of all the sailors in the world. I never had any doubt that they would be up to the task. And quite honestly, they completed this world tour and they now have this pride in their eyes. As they rounded Cape Horn, they knew. »
